Bitnomial Clearinghouse LLC has secured approval from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to clear fully collateralized swaps, a regulatory authorization that formally opens the door for the Chicago-based firm to list and clear prediction markets.
The approval marks the second major regulatory win for Bitnomial this month, following its launch of leveraged spot crypto trading in early December. By adding swap clearing to its Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) license, Bitnomial becomes the first U.S. venue to offer a vertically integrated stack—exchange, clearinghouse, and brokerage—capable of settling event contracts directly in digital assets.
This approval allows us to serve both our own exchange and external partners, building a clearing network that strengthens the entire prediction market ecosystem. Michael Dunn, President of Bitnomial
Infrastructure Over Retail
While platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi battle for retail volume, Bitnomial is positioning itself as the regulated backend for the sector. The amended DCO order allows the firm to clear contracts for external exchanges, effectively offering a “Clearing-as-a-Service” model for other operators seeking U.S. compliance without building their own clearinghouse.
Crucially, the approval explicitly permits crypto-margined settlement. Unlike traditional CFTC-regulated venues that force conversion to USD, Bitnomial traders can post collateral and settle prediction bets in Bitcoin or USDC. This removes friction for crypto-native market makers who previously had to off-ramp to participate in regulated U.S. event contracts.
The Market Reaction
The move validates the growing institutional appetite for event derivatives following Kalshi’s recent court victories against the CFTC. Bitcoin (BTC) remained resilient on the news, trading at $93,075 (+7%), while Solana (SOL) pushed to $142 (+11%), reflecting broader market strength as regulatory clarity improves in the U.S.
Bitnomial stated the new prediction products will initially cover crypto market events (e.g., token listings, protocol upgrades) and economic indicators, with a rollout expected in Q1 2026.
